Pair of homeless teens arrested again

By Patrick Cassidy

pcassidy@capecodonline.com

November 16, 2012 - 7:28 PM

HYANNIS – A pair of homeless teenagers arrested at least three times each in the past two weeks, including for accidentally setting fire to a softball field announcer’s booth, were arrested again Friday.

Darren Schuyler, 18, was arrested after he allegedly attacked the security guard at Hyannis Public Library, according to Barnstable police.

Schuyler attacked the guard shortly before 2 p.m. Friday after being told he had to leave the library, Barnstable Detective Sgt. Mark Mellyn said.

He is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon – a shod foot – and was being held until his arraignment in Barnstable District Court on Monday, Mellyn said, adding that as of Friday evening a bail amount had not been set.

Ivan Parker, 18, of Falmouth was with Schuyler at the time of the attack and was arrested for a Nov. 7 shoplifting incident. A security official at the Macy’s at Cape Cod Mall had recognized his photograph in the Times as the individual in a store video allegedly stealing North Face jackets, Mellyn said.

Schuyler’s alleged crime spree started Nov. 4 when he vandalized a bathroom at the Dunkin’ Donuts on Main Street, according to court documents.

He told police at the time he didn’t have any money and was homeless.

On Tuesday he was arrested after allegedly stealing five shirts from Macy’s at the mall, according to police reports.

Although court records show Schuyler as being from Marstons Mills, police said Friday that he told them he is from Mashpee.

Parker was charged with shoplifting and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon Nov. 8 for allegedly pulling a knife on a security guard at the department store, according to court documents.

On Nov. 11 he was arrested again for shoplifting and attacking a clerk at the Hyannis Food Mart on Center Street, according to a police report.

Both teens were arrested again Wednesday along with Katie Lennon, 17, of Falmouth for breaking into the announcer’s booth at the Marshall J. Lopes Jr. Field off Old Colony Road and accidentally setting the small two-story building on fire. The teens were sleeping in the woods nearby and broke into the booth to get out of the rain, according to police.

All three were released on personal recognizance. Lennon was ordered to go live with her father. Parker and Schuyler were ordered to find suitable housing as a condition of their release.

Through his assistant, Barnstable District First Justice W. James O’Neill declined to an interview to discuss the issue of bail, saying he could not comment on pending cases.

Bail is intended to ensure that a defendant returns to court and is not meant to be used as punishment, Cape and Islands First Assistant District Attorney Brian Glenny said.

“It’s not a question of guilt or innocence,” he said. “Bail is to make sure they show up and have their day in court.”

The district attorney’s office considers multiple factors in making a request for bail, including whether a person has failed to appear in court when required in the past, Glenny said. If an allegation is serious enough and a defendant has another case pending, bail may be revoked in the prior case, he said.